Two (2) classic heavy equipment safety films sponsored by Caterpillar Tractor Co. and Union Pacific Railroad.
Included Films:
Shake Hands With Danger
Shake Hands With Danger
Produced: 1970s
Length: 23 Minutes
Being responsible on the job is not a matter to be taken lightly, especially when life and limb are at risk. Shake Hands With Danger, a 1970s attempt to get workers to follow all the safety rules, not just for the sake of the companys liability, but for the sake of the worker. Directed by Herk Harvey this goes beyond simple warnings, and produces gore and professional stunts to help the watcher understand that not abiding by large machinery safety rules can have disastrous consequences. A catchy country tune and professional acts ensure the safety lessons taught will be remembered in their entirety.
Days Of Our Years
Days Of Our Years
Produced: 1955
Length: 20 Minutes
This skillfully filmed picture reenacts three railway workplace tragedies in an effort to educate Union Pacific rail workers about the risks of carelessness on the job. The stories are all set in old working class Los Angeles, in places reminiscent of Bell, Commerce, and Vernon, a world that just doesnt exist anymore in this form, so this film is a rare piece of ephemera. The narrator of the film is the minister of the community that lives and works by the railroad. He tells the stories of Joe Tindler, a bachelor whos looking forward to marrying his sweetheart; Charlie ONeill, a welder who cant wait to see his first child born; and Price and Bellows, two old friends who are planning their retirement together. The minister follows these characters through their daily lives, showing us their hopes, dreams, and loved ones, until the moment of doom when a railway accident claims their life or, as in the case of Charlie, blinds them. The film builds tension very skillfully, and the details of the characters lives guarantees our investment in them, so that by the end, we feel almost as devastated as the friends and family members whose lives have been changed forever. As do many older corporate safety films, this one blames the working man entirely for any accidents that occur on the job, but as it does so it also works very hard to create characters of deep humanity and pathos.
